Page 24 of Meant To Be

“That is the best.” I nodded enthusiastically.

“It happens to be Piper’s favorite too, so that worked out,” Dani added.

“What would you have done if we didn’t have the same favorite?” Piper asked.

Dani smiled at us. “I would’ve made both of your favorites.”

Jackson Stone came over, cuffing me lightly on the shoulder as he walked by before he sat down. “Dani likes to take care of everyone. Although we don’t usually get that kind of special treatment,” he said dryly. Jackson owned Stolen Hearts Lodge, the outdoor resort where Wade worked.

Dani rested her hands on her hips, her ponytail bouncing as she eyed him. “The mac and cheese is pretty much everybody’s favorite or, at least, in everybody’s top three.”

“Definitely my favorite,” Shay said as she sat beside Jackson.

Jackson leaned over, giving her a lingering kiss. “Hey, sweetheart,” he murmured.

Jackson and Shay had been married for several years now, baby and all.

The lunch carried on around us. Lucas Cole gave me an update about Alaska. Rowan was his cousin and lived there. He’d told me about the opening on the hotshot crew.

All the while, I was acutely aware of the urge to let my gaze linger on Piper. I was relieved we were only here together for one night. I’d be here for the week but didn’t know if I could hide my feelings about Piper from Wade for that long.

Shay had put us in guest cabins that happened to be beside each other. I was relieved it was dark when we walked out to them. Only moments after leaving my bag in my cabin, I slipped over to Piper’s, and we made love in the darkness.

The next morning, Wade took her to the airport while I stayed back to help Jackson, Dawson, and Walker with a construction project.

I had to say my goodbye to Piper in the morning before the sun even rose. I texted her half an hour before her flight.

Me: I miss you. I’ll see you when you pick me up in Anchorage.

I had already sent her my flight schedule. As hard as my heart beat out the rhythm of my feelings for her, once she was gone, my doubts began to get louder. What if I couldn’t do this? What if all the reasons I told myself commitment was a bad idea turned out to be accurate?

Just because I thought I loved Piper too much to let her slip away didn’t mean it wouldn’t blow up in my face.

I lay in bed in the darkness the night after she left, missing her and trying not to chase my worries in circles.

Chapter Eighteen

PIPER

Morning, earlier the same day

“Small world,” my brother offered from my side as he drove toward the airport.

I glanced over. “Well, yeah, but why do you say that?”

“You and Dylan both moving to Willow Brook just goes to show how small the world can be. That’s all.”

I quickly looked out the window. “I know. But maybe it’s not so small. Rowan is there. We went to high school with Rowan. That’s how he knows Dylan.” I shrugged, still looking out the window because I didn’t want anything on my face to give me away. “Dylan likes to travel. You always say that Alaska is a destination for anyone who likes to hike in the mountains. It’s on lots of bucket lists.”

“I suppose it’s less surprising for me that he’s going out there than you,” Wade commented.

I finally looked his way again. “Why? I interned with Alice through our vet school. She’s from Alaska.”

“It’s a small world. That’s my point. I’m glad Dylan’s going to be there. He can keep an eye on you.”

Irritation flashed inside. I was doubting my choice to drop off the rental car a few days ago because that meant I’d needed this ride and now, absolutely not to my surprise, my brother was being nosy and over-protective. Ugh. “I don’t need anyone to keep an eye on me,” I said pointedly, rolling my eyes as I looked away from my overprotective older brother again.

Wade chuckled. “I know you don’t, but I worry. It’s because I love you. You used to worry about me when I was traveling and hiking and doing my thing.”

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